It didn't bowl me over. Those dashes I mentioned, well, a few could have been tablespoons or half-cups. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't compelling. Perhaps it will grow tighter with time as I saw an early preview, but my gut tells me there just isn't enough to draw the audience much past the front door of the fantastic country house (Sets: John Lee Beatty) we see on stage.
Blythe Danner (Anna Patterson) is the matriarch of the family in question here. The family is mostly actors. Her daughter is dead and it's a year afterward and she's getting the clan together at the country house in Williamstown (they are actors, remember) for the the anniversary of her death including her son (Elliott Cooper) Eric Lange, her son-in-law (Walter Keegan) David Rasche and his new girlfriend (Neil McNally) Kate Jennings Grant, her granddaughter (Suzie Keegan) Sarah Steele, a hunky young Hollywood actor (Michael Astor) Daniel Sunjata.
There are a few twists and turns in the plot, an inside running joke about the theatre and actors, and of course a little naughty intrigue all surrounding that gorgeous and successful Hollywood actor. Well cast, but it was a studio sized result when I was expecting a classic 6 or more given the level of talent on the stage.
